The present invention relates generally to emergency call systems, and in particular, to an emergency call system for aiding persons in distress, for example, due to medical, fire, burglary or other emergencies.
Emergency call systems are known in which a person in distress can get immediate help. Specifically, in such systems, the person presses a button on a pendant which transmits a signal to an alarm in the person's house. The alarm then sends a signal to a central station, and a person at the central station must then dial the telephone numbers from a prescribed list in order to obtain aid for the distressed person.
However, such an arrangement is relatively complicated and costly. Specifically, such arrangement operates in a similar manner to a central burglar or fire alarm in a house, and requires a separate, complicated wiring assembly for the house, at a considerable cost. Also, such a system requires that a central station be provided, and therefore, the subscriber to such a system must pay a monthly fee for such service, adding further to the cost of the system.
Also, a problem with known systems is that if a central station, upon calling a telephone number for aid, continuously receives a busy signal, the central station may stop calling after a number of attempts, so that the person in distress does not receive aid.